The England Cricket Team have arrived in India for a 5-match gruelling IND vs ENG Test series. The limelight is on England skipper Ben Stokes who is set to make his return to red ball cricket after his injury. Questions were raised about his bowling, should England opt for workload management.
But ahead of the IND vs ENG 1st Test in Hyderabad, England head coach Brendon McCullum has cleared that Ben Stokes has trained well and is raring to go. However, keeping caution, the Kiwi great also claimed that if needed a late fitness call should also be taken.
“He looks like a greyhound. He’s put the work in, everyone knows his work ethic is phenomenal,” said Brendon McCullum in a Pre Match Press Conference in Hyderabad.
After the conclusion of the ODI World Cup, Ben Stokes returned home and went under the knife for his troubled knee. Thus there lies the question, should Ben Stokes be used as a bowler from the go?
“I’ve seen him running around and I think he’s good to go. We’ll obviously make that call as late as what we need to. But he’s put all the work in, and we’ll just have to wait and see,” the England coach further added.
With eyes on the T20 World Cup, Ben Stokes withdrew his name from IPL. With workload management being the main focus in keeping the player fit for the ICC event, it is evitable that Stokes won’t go full throttle in bowling.
Joe Root to go the extra Mile?
Apart from being a great batter, Joe Root is a handy bowler for the Three Lions. The top batter already has 60 Test wickets to his name. What is even surprising is that Root has his only Test fifer in India.
Joe Root has 11 wickets against Rohit Sharma and his boys. And interestingly his spell of 5/8 came in India, meaning the off spinner will be aiming to weave his magic in the Indian sub continent.